Thread-controlling mechanism for braiding machines



Dec. 31, 1929. s. B. BLAISDELL 1,742,125

THREAD CONTRQLLING MECHANISM FOR BRAIDING' MACHINES Fild Jan. 20. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 25 5 2Z1 v /5* 35 g Z 27 m 2 H 4 Patented Dec. 31, 1929 SIDNEY B. BLAI'SDELL, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO FIDELITY MACHINE COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELA WARE THREADv-CONTBOLLING MECHANISM FOR BRAIDING MACHINES Application filed January 20, 1928. Serial No. 248,180.

This invention relates to braiding ma machine the individual braiding thread car chines, such as that shown in my co-pending applications, Serial No. 187,301, filed April 28, 1 927, andSerialNo. 243,406, filed December 29,1927.

As illustrated in the first of said co-pend ing applications, each braiding unit of the machine comprises a base plate and a superposed bobbin supporting platform, spaced apart from but rigidly attached to said base plate. 011 the bobbin supporting platform is mounted a series of bObblItCfiIllBIS, each of which is provided with 21 depending extension: which projects through oneof a pair of similar slots formed in the bobbin plat form. These slots each follow a circuitous path consisting of a: series of waves arranged arounda general center and function to guide the bobbin carriers, on their movement over the bobbin supporting, platform, in such a manner as tovcause the-threads carried by the bobbin carriers tolintertwine with each other to effect the braiding operation adjacent the braiding mandrel ot] the machine, which is locatediabove the bobbins and substantially in line with the genera]. center of the circuitous paths traversed by the bobbin car- Intermediate the base plate and the mere. bobbin. supporting platform, each unit is provided with an intermeshing train of gears, each gear harvinga lugsadapted to successively engage the depending projections on the respective bobbin: carriers,for the purpose of moving the bobbinlcarriers over the surface of the bobbin supporting platform in the manner described.

Each bobbin carrier is provided with a bobbin supporting spindle and a thread guiding post adjacent said spindle. On the spindle is rotatably mounted; a holder for the yarn package having a flange on at least one end, which is provided, with a series of ratchet teeth. On the post is slid-ably mounted a pawl which is adapted to engage the ratchet teeth of the yarn package holder, and below the pawl a tension weight is slidably mounted on the post. A thread guide-opening is formed in: the thread guiding post at a point inter- ,mediate theopposite ends ofsaid post.

In the operation of this type of braiding ried by each bobbin carrier is led from the yarn package on the carrier, through the thread guide-opening in the post, under the lower side of the tension weight, through a I second thread guide-opening formed in the upper end of the post, and from there to the braiding point of the unit.

These yarn packages usually consist of a wooden spool having a cylindrical core and a flange 011 each end thereof, the. thread being wound on the cylindrical core between the flanges, or a yarn package may consist of a paper tube having the thread universally wound thereon. When this type of yarn package is employed the tube is forced on a cop holder comprising a cylindrical body having a flange on one end in which is formed the above mentioned series of'ratchet teeth.

As the bobbin carriers are moved in the circuitous path over the bobbin supporting platform the braiding is effected in the manner above noted. The pawl on the post of each carrier, being in engagement with one of the ratchet teeth of the cop holder, prevents rotation of the yarn package, the thread previously drawn from the yarn package being formed in a loop adjacent the post with the tension weight resting in the lower part of the loop, thus a substantially uniform tension is maintained on the yarn passing to the braiding point of the unit. As the yarn is consumed the loop becomes shorter until finally the tension weight is raised to a point where it engages the lower side of the pawl and raises the pawl out of contact with the engaged at, the high point of one of the waves of the circuitous path, which is located the greatest the thread as the carrier moves closer to the general center of the circuitous paths.

There are times in the operation of the machine when the pawl will stick after being raised out of contact with the engaged ratchet tooth, permitting the yarn package to continue to rotate, consequently the tension Weight will continue to descend to a point where it will engage the stop motion operating lever of the unit and thereby stop the operation of the unit. During this free run ning of the yarn package there is practically no tension on the braiding thread and consequently imperfect and loose braiding is formed.

If the machine is operated above a predetermined rate of speed the tension weights are sometimes caused to rise at such a rate that the pawls are knocked completely off their supporting posts, or the pawls are raised to such an extent that they cannot again descend in time to engage the next successive ratchet tooth or any one of several teeth following thereafter, whereupon the condition above described ensues.

The object of the invention forming the subject matter of the second of the said copending applications is to eliminate the unreliable pawl and ratchet control of the yarn package and to provide mechanism which operates directly on the thread as it is drawn from the yarn package through the lower thread guide-opening in the post.

Also if the machine is operated above a predetermined speed the tension weights, at

times, are caused to stick on the post due to' developed centrifugal force, thus the tension weights will not descend by gravity to effect the stoppage of the feed of the thread from the yarn package, whereupon the thread will be slack and loose braiding will result.

The object of my present invention is to improve the construction of the bobbin car rier providing means for forcibly moving the tension weight downward on the post for controlling the tension on the thread at all times regardless of the speed at which the machine may be operated.

Details of the construction of the invention will be fully disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved form of bobbin carrier showing a bobbin having a tubular core applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the bobbin carrier taken on the line fir-'4: of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:.

In the drawings of the present application, the bobbin supporting platform is illustrated at A. One of the bobbin carriers is illustrated at 1, and comprises a foot 2 which rests on the upper surface of the bobbin supporting platform. The foot 2 is provided with a depending projection 3 which projects through one of the guide slots at in the bobbin supporting platform. integrally formed on the lower end of the projection 3 is a plate 1 which engages the under side of the bobbin supporting platform A for the purpose of maintaining the bobbin carrier in an upright position on said supporting platform. The retaining plate 4 is provided with a depending projection 5 which is adapted to be engaged by the lugs of the operating train of gears (not shown). The foot 2 of the bobbin carrier is provided with an integral pedestal 6, and a short integral post 7.

In the pedestal 6 is rigidly secured a vertically extending spindle 8 which is adapted to receive the tubular core m of a yarn package or bobbin X, the lower end of said tubular core resting upon the upper face 9 of the pedestal 6.

On the short integral post 7 is rigidly secured, by means of rivets 11, a vertically extending hollow thread guiding post 10, on the upper end of which is secured an arm 12, which extends over the bobbin X and has a rearwardly extending lug 13. In the lug 13 is formed a vertically extending aperture 14: which acts as a guide-opening for a thread ;2 Intermediate the foot 2 and the guide lug 13, a thread guide-opening 15 is formed in the front and rear walls of the hollow post 10.

Immediately adjacent the lower side of the opening 15 a block 16 is secured within the hollow post 10 by a rivet 17. Slidably mounted in the hollow post 10 above the block 16 is a movable block 18 which is adapted to engage the block 16 for the purpose of gripping the thread 7 therebetween as it passes through the opening 15 in the post. A spring 19, positioned between the upper side of the movable block 18 and the under side of a lug 20 extending from the arm 12 into the upper end of the hollow post 10, tends to maintain the movable block 18 in engagement with the fixed block 16 at all times. A rivet 21 passes through the walls of the post 10 and the lug 20 of the arm 12, thereby rigidly maintaining the arm 12 on the post 10.

The movable block 18 is provided with a pin 22 which projects laterally from each side of said block and through slots 23, 23 formed in the side walls of the hollow post 10.

Below ,thefixed block 16 and within the hollow post is slidably mounted a tension block which is also provided with a pin 26 extending laterally from each side of the block 25 through slots 27, 27 formed in the side walls of the hollow post 1 0. A. spring 28 has one of its ends attached to a tongue 29 on the block 25, and its opposite end attachedto a tongue 30 formed on the upper end of the integral post 7 of the foot 2.

Slidably mounted on the outside of the post 10 is'a tension weight 31 comprising a collar 32 having a pair of vertically extending legs 33 adjacent the opposite side walls respec- The spindle 8 is secured to the pedestal 6. by means of a rivet 36, and is provided with a pair of collars 37 and 38 which fit snugly withinthe tubular core 00 of the yarn package X. A fiat spring 39 is positioned intermediate the collars 37 and 38, having one end rigidly secured on the collar 38 and its oppo site end in sliding contact with the spindle 8.

The spring 39 bears against the inner wall of the core w and frictionally holds the yarn package X onthe carrier 1.

In operation, the thread 2 is led vertically from the bobbin 0a through a thread guide opening 40 in the arm 12, said opening being i in axial alignment with the spindle 8, then downwardly through a second opening 41 in the arm 12 adjacent the front wall of the hollow post 10, thence through the thread guideopening 15 in'the post 10, the block 18 being" manually elevated to permit the passage of the said thread through said opening, thence under the bridge 35 of the tension weight 31 and upwardly through the thread guide-opening 14- in the rearwardly extending lug 13 of the arm 12 at the upper end of said post 10, to the braiding mandrel of the machine.

As the machine operates, the bobbin carriers 1 are caused to follow the paths of the slots at in the bobbin supporting platform A to effect the braiding operation inthe manner above described, and the finished braided product is taken up by the usual take-up mechanism of the machine. As the braiding operations progresses the loop y formed in the thread y is shortened which causes the tension weight 31 to move upwardly on the post 10 against the action of the spring 28 until the upper faces 34 of the legs 33 engage the lower sides of the laterally extending pins 22, 22

of the block 18. Acceleration of the pull on the thread caused by the carrier riding a high point of one of the waves, causes the ten sion weight 31 to raise the block 18 in the post 10 against the action of the spring 19, thereby releasing the thread from the gripping action of the blocks 16 and 18 and permitting the thread to pass through the guide-opening 15 until the tension weight 31 is moved downwardly by the spring 28 a suificient distance to permit the block 18 to again descend and effect the above mentioned gripping action on the said thread, whereby further passage of the thread through the opening 15 is stopped until the legs 33 of the tension weight 31 again engages the pins 22 and raises the block 18 in the post 10. By this means the thread is delivered in minute quantities as itis consumed by the braiding operation and at no time or under any circumstances is a suflicient quantity of yarn permitted to be released which would allow the tension weight to descend on the post 10 a suificient distance to engage the stop motion lever of the machine, consequently and regardless of the speed at which the machine may be operated the desireduniform tension is maintained at all times on the thread, producing first-class braidingwithout loose spots or other defects usually causedby the erratic operation of the common pawl and ratchet control ofthe yarn package and the common gravity operated tension weight. If the thread 2 should break the weight 31 will. be permitted to drop, and thereby operate the stop motion of the machine in the usual manner.

The hollow post 10 being'ot wrought metal, A

as against the cast metal of the post ordinarily in use at the present time, is tougher and consequently ableto stand the rough usage which quite often causes the cast metal posts to be broken, and furthermore this hollow post provides a housing for the springs 19 and 28 and thereby eliminates the danger of the threads becoming tangled in the springs, or the springs becoming clogged with lint or grease, which might happen if the springs were exposed.

I claim:

1. .In a: bobbin carrier for braiding machines the combination of a base member, a spindle carried by said base member and adapted to support a bobbin thereon, a hollow thread guiding post adjacent said spindle having a thread guide-opening formed therein and extending transversely therethrough, a block rigidly mounted in said hollow post below said opening, a member slidably mounted in said post above said rigid blockfor engaging a thread passing from a bobbin carried by the spindle through the guide-opening in the post and pressing said thread against the rigid block thereby gripping said thread to arrest the movement thereof, and means operable by said thread when the tension thereon increases above a predetermined value for releasing the m'ovableelement from said thread.

2. In a bobbin carrier for braiding machines the combination of a base member, a spindle carried by said base member and adapted to support a bobbin thereon, a hollow thread guiding post adjacent said spindle having a thread guide-opening formed therein, a block rigidly mounted in said post adj acent said opening, a member movably mounted in said post for engaging a thread passing from a bobbin carried by the spindle through the guide-opening in the post and pressing said thread against said rigid block thereby gripping saidthread to arrest the movement thereof, means operable by said thread when the tension thereon increases above a predetermined value for releasing the movable element from said thread, and resilient means for returning said movable member to its thread gripping position when the tension on said thread is reduced to said predetermined value. 7

3. In a bobbin carrier vfor braiding machines the combination of a base member, a

spindle carried by said base member and adapted to support a bobbin thereon, a hollow thread guiding post adjacent said spindle having a thread guide-opening formed therein, a'block rigidly mounted in said post adja 4. In a bobbin carrier for braiding machines the combination of a base member, a spindle carried by said base member and adapted to carry a bobbin thereon, a hollow thread guiding post adjacent said spindle and having a thread guiding opening formed therein, a block rigidly mounted in said post adjacent said opening, a movable block slidably mounted in said post above said rigid block and cooperating therewith for gripping a thread passing through said opening from a; bobbin carried by said spindle, means housed in said post and operable on said movable block for eflecting the said gripping action, a tension weight slidably mounted on the outside of said post and engaged by said thread after leaving the said opening in said post said weight being adapted to be moved in one direction by said thread when the tension thereon exceeds a predetermined value, and means on said tension weight adapted to engage said movable block for releasing the thread when the tension weight is moved by the said excessive tension on the thread.

5. In a bobbin carrier for braiding machines the combination of a base member, a spindle carried by said base member and adapted to carry a bobbin thereon, a hollow thread guiding post adjacent said spindle and having a thread guiding opening formed therein, a block rigidly mounted in said post adjacent said opening, a movable block slidably mounted in said post above said rigid block and cooperating therewith for gripping a thread passing through said opening from a bobbin carried by said spindle, means housed in said post and operable on said movable blocl: for effecting the said gripping action, a tension weight slidably mounted on the outside of said post and engaged by said thread after leaving the said opening in said post said weight being adapted to be moved in one direction by said thread when the tension thereon exceeds a predetermined value, means on said tension weight adapted to engage said movable block for releasing the thread when the tension weight is moved by the said excessive tension on the thread, and means housed within said hollow post for moving said tension weight in a counter direction when the tension on the thread assumes saie predetermined value.

6. In a bobbin carrier for braiding machines the combination et a base member, a spindle carried by said base member and adapted to carry a bobbin thereon, a hollow thread guiding post adjacent said spindle and having a thread guiding opening formed therein, a bl ck rigidly mounted in said post adjacent said opening, a movable block slidably mounted in said post above said rigid block and cooperating therewith for gripping a thread passing through said opening from a bobbin carried by said spindle, means housed in said post and operable on said movable block for effecting the said gripping action, a tension weight slidably mounted on the outside of said post and engaged by said thread after leaving the said opening in said post, said weight being adapted to be moved in one direction by said thread when the tension thereon exceeds a predetermined value, laterally extending pins on said movable block passing through slots formed in side walls of said hollow post, legs on said tension weight adapted to engage said pins and move said block to a thread releasing position when the tension weight is moved by the said excessive tension on the thread, and means housed within said hollow post "for moving said tension weight in a counter direction when the tension en tire thread assumes said predetermined value.

7. In a bobbin carrier for braiding machines the combination of a base member, a spindle carried by said base member and adapted to carry a bobbin thereon, a hollow thread guiding post adjacent said spindle and having a thread guiding opening formed therein, a block rigidly mounted in said post adjacent said opening, a movable block slidably mounted in said post above said rigid block and cooperating therewith for gripping a thread passing through said opening from a bobbin carried by said spindle, means housed in said post and operable on said movable block for effecting the said gripping action, a tension weight slidably mounted on theoutside of said post and engaged by said thread after leaving the said opening in said post, said weight being adapted to be moved in one direction by said thread when the tension thereon exceeds a predetermined value means on said tension weight adapted to engage said movable block for releasing the thread when the tension weight is moved by the said excessive tension on the thread, a second block slidably mounted in said hollow I post, laterally extending pins on said second block passing through slots formed in the side walls of said hollow post and engaging the said tension weight, and a spring housed within said hollow post and adapted to move i a block ragidly mounted in said post adjacent said opening a movable block slidably mounted in said post above said rigid block and cooperating therewith for gripping a thread passing through said opening from a bobbin carried by said spindle, means housed in said post and operable on said movable block for effecting the said gripping action, a tension weight slidably mounted on the outside of said post and engaged by said thread after leaving the said opening in said post, said weight being adapted to be moved in one direction by said thread when the tension thereon exceeds a predetermined value,

laterally extending pins on said movable ,block passing through slots formed in side Walls of said hollow post, legs on said tension weight adapted to engage said pins and move said block to a thread releasing position when the tension weight is moved by the said excessive tension on the thread, a second block slidably moimted in said hollow post, laterally extending pins on said second block passing through slots formed in the side walls of said hollow posts and engaging the said tension weight, and a spring housed within said hollow post and adapted to move said block and said tension weight in a counter direction when the said excessive tension on said thread is relieved, whereby the first of said movable blocks is permitted to assume its thread gripping position relative to the said rigidly mounted block.

9. In a bobbin carrier for braiding machines the combination of a base member, a spindle carried by said base member and adapted to support a bobbin thereon, a hollow thread guiding post adjacent said spindle and having a thread guiding opening formed therein intermediate said base member and the distant end of said hollow post, an arm rigidly mounted on the said distant end of said post and having a plurality of thread guide openings formed thereon one of which is positioned in axial alignment with the said spindle, a. rearwardly extending lug on said arm having a thread guide opening formed therein, a stationary block secured in said post adjacent the said intermediate opening therein, a movable block slidably mounted in said post above said stationary block, a spring housed in said post between said movable block and the said arm, a tension weight slidably mounted on the outside of said post and having projections adapted to engage projections onvthe movable block located within the post, and a bridge on said tension weight adapted to be engaged by a thread passing from a bobbin carried by said spindle through the said thread guide openings substantially as and for the purpose described.

SIDNEY B. BLAISDELL. 

